Self-described as “a little French, somewhat Italian, sort of American with East Indian Accents,” the experience at Village Bistro is undeniably unique.
With a bar in the middle of the restaurant and a maximum capacity of no more than 40 occupants, the staff at Village Bistro aims to create an intimate experience for every patron. Nestled in the heart of Rosslyn on Wilson Blvd., one would not expect to find such a delicious meal for such an affordable price.
Village Bistro’s menu defends their self-description, as they focus extensively on delicious pasta, seafood and meat dishes. The meals range from $10-25, but a meal for two can easily be kept around $50, even with indulging.
The meal begins right as you sit down at Village Bistro, as the waiter presents your table with an unlimited supply of oven-fired Italian bread. Our meal kicked off with two delicious starter-sized samplings — an order of the Escargot ($8.95) and the Fried Calamari ($8.95) with aioli sauce. For someone inexperienced in the world of escargot, the healthy plate served at Village Bistro supplied a craving of mushrooms, walnuts, garlic and snails even after the meal. The freshness of the calamari also suggested there was an exceptional meal ahead.
The side Caesar Salad ($5.95) continued Village Bistro’s mastery of the pre-meal dishes, as the creamy dressing mixed was in perfect proportion with the crisp lettuce, savory Parmesan and crunchy croutons.
The Bistro’s real specialties lie within their entrée menu. During our visit, I chose to order the Linguine with Clams ($18.95), a mix of white wine, garlic, clams and lemon in a delicious blend of seafood and pasta. The clams came in their shell, loaded with tomatoes and garlic, and served over home-cooked pasta and white wine sauce. The sauce later provided a perfect dip for the Italian bread. A guest of mine decided on a Village Bistro special: The Penne Portofino ($14.95), a mix of chicken, apple slices and cream sauce. While decidedly unique, the particular blend of the crisp-yet-chewy apple slices mixing with the chicken and penne in cream absolutely melts in the mouth. Village Bistro offers nightly specials, such as Lobster Ravioli ($22.95), fresh lobster stuffed into pasta squares with ricotta cheese. Much like the other two entrees at the table, the Lobster Ravioli more than exceeded expectations, and everyone at our table was left full of delicious food at the end of the meal.
For dessert, Village Bistro finishes with a bang. For cake lovers, the Cheesecake du jour, espresso- or orange-flavored ($6.95) or the Chocolate Mousse Cake ($6.95) will delight the taste buds of anyone who left enough room after the main dishes. Traditional dessert lovers can savor the Crème Brulèe ($6.95), topped with delectable sweet brown crumbs.
Village Bistro is perfect for nearly any occasion, whether a date, dinner with friends, or family lunch. No matter what brings someone into Village Bistro, they’ll be glad they found their way once they sit down and enjoy a delicious, Italian-American-French-East Indian dinner of their own.
Village Bistro
1723 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA
703-522-0284
Monday – Friday (Lunch): 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Monday – Sunday (Dinner): 5 – 10 p.m.
